Duncan (Liam James, TV’s The Killing) needs a hero. With his parents recently divorced, and his mother (Toni Collette, Hitchcock) moving on with her arrogant boyfriend (Steve Carell, Despicable Me 2), he needs someone to make everything all right. The 14-year-old’s self-esteem is bruised and battered, and his confidence damaged, a forced family holiday only exacerbating his isolation. Then Owen (Sam Rockwell, Seven Psychopaths), the effortlessly charismatic manager of the ramshackle Water Wizz amusement park, enters his life.
In the typical coming-of-age mould, the introverted Duncan warms to Owen’s influence, flourishing under the older brother-like support to feel comfortable in his skin for the first time. His blossoming persona earns the attention of the girl next door (AnnaSophia Robb, The Carrie Diaries) and helps Duncan find friends in his fellow water park workers. His problems haven’t vanished, but are lessened in their impact; when trouble springs, he’s now equipped for the fight.
With its air of summer longing and anything-is-possible energy, not to mention the idling seaside setting, The Way, Way Back is plucked from the experiences every childhood is made of, writer/directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (The Descendants) successfully channelling the awkwardness that fuels encroaching maturity. Their tale is nostalgically familiar, their themes are inherently relatable, and their telling unravels with cosiness and contentment. In its cultivation of universality, their film becomes the ideal teen holiday fable.
Yet, something special lingers beneath the timeless formula, a spark of affection and attention to detail that lifts the friendly feature above other such efforts. The emotional beats writhe with authenticity rather than playing the predictable tune of dour adolescents, self-absorbed parents, and chaotic offsiders. The dialogue snaps with smarts that extend the very funny one-liners, and with wisdom beyond the expected. And then there are the performances.
In the lead role, James anchors the film with his affable unease, aptly expressing his character’s emotional awakening; however The Way, Way Back thrives through the efforts of its ensemble cast. Though their screen time is limited and their subplot simply handled, Collette and Carell swap their brother-sister Little Miss Sunshine pairing for a darker relationship, but one constructed with care and against type. In smaller parts, Faxon and Rash spin sly comic gold as Water Wizz employees, while Maya Rudolph (Friends with Kids) grounds the silliness in empathy. As an extroverted neighbour, Allison Janney (Struck by Lightning) is desperately riotous but never over the top, stealing every scene she is in.
Of course, as most films do in his presence, The Way, Way Back belongs to Rockwell; in a career filled with complex charm and imperfect allure, he might just be at his most endearing. As the substitute guiding hand to an isolated youth, the film presents a persona tailor-made for Rockwell’s magnetic dynamism, smooth dance moves and swift talking, yet also one that’s thoughtful, funny, tender, and tenacious. Indeed, many audience members may leave the cinema dreaming of Rockwell as their own pseudo sibling. With perceptive portrayals, a refreshed teen angst recipe, and the poignant probing of paternal influences, The Way, Way Back is just that type of film.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
The Way, Way Back
Directors: Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
USA, 2013, 103 mins
Release date: 1 August
Distributor: StudioCanal
Rated: M
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